Coaldale Teens Hope 'Lightning' Strikes Summer Festivities

For a group of Coaldale teen-agers living a little bit dangerously by doing all sorts of stunts on bikes, the adventure may bring some dividends.

The youths - Robert Faenza and Chris Orsulak, both 13, Tony Pajakinas, 15, Anthony Malaska, 16, and their 15-year-old manager Frank Derrick at carnivals and block parties over the summer months.

When the youths finish their school day and other related activities, they can be found at the home of Derrick's mother, Anna Gallagher, where they spent about three hours each day working on routines and stunts.

The youths started the freestyle biking about a year ago when they formed the trick team, but all had experience on bikes long before that.

The group performs such stunts as tail spins, rock walk, bar hop, twists and switch stands, but it is the aerial stunts that require the most concentration.

Malaska began the demonstration and was quickly followed by the remainder of the group. He began by riding up a steep ramp and down it before going up the second ramp. Back and forth he went until he had built up enough speed to allow him to head to the top of each ramp where he turned around in midair.

When asked what drove him to carry out such stunts, Malaska said, "It's pretty much fun when you can do stuff and other people can't."

While Malaska might be the best stunt man on the trick team, even he has trouble carrying out a cherry picker. The stunt calls for the bike to be placed vertically on its front wheel at which time someone stands on the bike and attempts to hop with it in the way a person uses a pogo stick.

According to Derrick, the group helps younger persons fix their bikes and holds competition for the younger riders under careful supervision.

Despite the degree of difficulty involved in some of the stunts, the youths have somehow managed to carry on with no broken bones and just several cuts and bruises. All of the group members take the proper safety measures when performing and always wear pads and helmets. They all agree that their stunts should never be attempted unless a person has some experience and is using the proper equipment.

Derrick, besides having to oversee the ramps in his back yard, also has the responsibility of helping to work out any problems with the stunts and of trying to book engagements.

The ramps were a major project since the youths needed to save enough money to purchase the wood and other materials needed. It took three months to construct the first ramp while the youths saved the money, and only about one week to built the second ramp.

According to Pajakinas, who does much work on the bikes, the two-wheel speed machines are also an expensive item. Pajakinas listed the price for one of the special bikes used by the group at $400 and added that the frame and fork cost about $200 alone.

The specially constructed bicycles are made for stunts and are reinforced to prevent their breaking when a rider lands after performing a stunt. Pajakinas says a frame on a regular bicycle would break under the force of landing after a stunt.

The youths have already sent to California for parts and Pajakinas adds that the freestyle bikes can be altered depending on what the rider wants or needs to perform a stunt.

In an attempt to raise funds to offset their expenses and to prevent inexperienced riders from using the ramps, the youths have established a rate for riders.

Local residents are charged $23 a year for the use of the ramp. The user fee has helped offset the cost of the ramps, according to Derrick, who explained that the first one cost $250 and the second $150.

When asked about their future plans, Malaska and rest of the young stuntmen say they plan to keep working on more new stunts and to become as good as possible.